Hosted by Mercedes and Anastasia Korngut, co-founders of Small Bits of Happiness. The duo interviews celebrities, Olympians and more iconic individuals. Together, they share what brings them happiness + life hacks. Hack Your Happiness is about making happiness—and life in general—practical, personal, and achievable, through simple hacks built from small habits and shifts.
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Stop Letting Other People Ruin Your Day: 7 Tools That Help
If you’re feeling drained, anxious, or overwhelmed by the people around you, today’s episode will remind you that someone else’s bad day doesn’t have to become yours.
One sharp comment. A strange text. Someone walking through the door already frustrated. Suddenly, you’re wondering what you did wrong and how to make everything better.
In this episode, Mercedes and Anastasia share seven practical tools to help you stop taking things personally, release the pressure to make everyone feel better, and get back to enjoying your day. You’ll learn how to be there for someone you care about without carrying their stress long after the conversation ends.
In this episode:
- Catch the moment someone else’s mood starts becoming yours.
- Learn what to tell yourself before you assume you did something wrong.
- How to release guilt when your attempts to help aren’t working.
- Hacks to create space and reset your day without starting an argument.
- Recognize when someone’s bad days have become a pattern that needs a conversation.
- Advice for handling your own rough days without passing the stress to everyone around you.
Explore our website (https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/)
Shop The Blossom Full Zip Sweater (https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/product/blossom-full-zip-sweater/)
Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with Melissa Urban: watch + listen now! (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AFcR3rJDaWkuPU18Vr6Rb?si=H-e0tO1nSguz714b5YXrRw)
We are not licensed therapists, and this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, medical professional, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.
(00:00) Why This Conversation Matters
(01:23) Pause & Acknowledge
(05:44) A Quick Ask
(06:07) Not About You
(07:49)Release The Pressure
(09:27) Who Comes To Mind?
(10:14) Stay Calm
(11:38) Create Space
(13:11) You Asked, We Listened!
(14:53) Ease Back Into Your Day
(17:15) Forgive Yourself
(19:08) One-Offs vs Consistent Patterns
(20:29) What If I'm Bringing The Bad Mood?
(21:50) How to Master Your Emotions, Stop People Pleasing, & Say No Without Guilt
9 Sept 2026
Body Language Expert: How to Read People Like a Pro | Traci Brown
They say they’re fine. So why does it feel like something’s wrong?You notice a change in someone’s face, their voice, or the way they’re sitting, and suddenly you’re wondering: "Did I do something?"
In this rewind episode of Hack Your Happiness, body language expert Traci Brown is here to give you a masterclass in body language, relationships, and people. You’ll learn what to pay attention to, important body language red flags, and how to use your body language to boost your confidence.In this episode you'll learn:- How to spot small changes in people's body language - What body language can tell you about someone's mood - What to do when someone’s words and body language don’t seem to match- Simple hand gestures that Traci uses to steady herself- The body language habit that can help a new conversation feel more comfortable- Why Traci wishes she had bet on herself sooner, and what building her business taught her about taking risks.- What you should write down EVERY night Traci Brown is a body language expert, speaker, and author of 'How to Detect Lies, Fraud and Identity Theft'. She has studied alongside law enforcement and works with businesses on reading nonverbal communication.Explore our website (https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/ )
(https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/ )Visit Traci's website (https://www.bodylanguagetrainer.com/)Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with Melissa Urban: watch + listen now (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AFcR3rJDaWkuPU18Vr6Rb?si=2IaofiuZTICq1qINBzQxQg)(00:00) Intro(01:31) How Traci Got Started(04:46) Predicting Winners Based On Body Language(06:09) Traci's Greatest Challenge(08:24) How Can I Bet On Myself?(10:32) How Do Business & Body Language Go Hand-In-Hand?(17:24) Must-Know Body Language Cues(23:23) Using Body Language To Help Others(28:18) Do THIS With Your Body Language To Feel Happier(33:41) What's The Spotlight Effect?(34:50 Traci's Top Three Tips(36:36) Body Language In Friendship(40:49) Do THIS With Your Body Language For Confidence(42:54) Forensic Problem-Solving(45:09) Traci To Her Teen Self(46:34) What Brings Traci A Small Bit of Happiness?(48:26) Traci's Motivational Quote(50:03) Give Yourself 100%(53:44) Key Takeaways
2 Sept 2026
The Behavior Coach: How to Break Old Patterns & Change Your Life - Eric Zimmer
You know what you want to change. So why is it still so hard to actually do it?
Maybe you want to break a habit, get out of a relationship that isn’t good for you, become more consistent, or finally stop falling back into the same patterns.
You’ve probably told yourself you need more discipline. More motivation. More willpower.
But what if that’s not actually the problem?
In today’s conversation, we sit down with author, coach, and host of The One You Feed podcast, Eric Zimmer, to unpack why lasting change is a skill you can learn, and why struggling to change doesn’t mean you’re lazy, weak, or incapable.
Eric knows this firsthand. At 24, he was homeless, addicted to heroin, and facing the possibility of decades in prison. He got sober, relapsed eight years later when everything in his life looked successful from the outside, and has now been completely clean for 18 years.
And what he’s learned about change completely challenges the way most of us approach it.
You’re going to learn:
- How to get back on track without turning one setback into a spiral
- How to stop forcing goals that don’t fit your life
- Why smaller goals can actually create bigger, longer-lasting change
- How to make a change before your life hits rock bottom
- When you should push toward a goal and when you should let it go
- How to stop letting self-doubt talk you out of doing what you know you need to do
- Signs that a relationship is holding you back
If there’s something in your life you’ve been trying to change, this conversation will help you understand what’s actually getting in the way and what to do next.
Explore our website (https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/ )
Shop The 'I Swear It's Easy' Cookbook (https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/product/the-i-swear-its-easy-cookbook/)
Visit Eric's website (https://www.oneyoufeed.net/)
Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with Dr. Ellen Langer: watch + listen now! (https://open.spotify.com/episode/4WCpJlj8wqptNDwbfWHn9h?si=Fs8Twa32T_GWsRmkavNtxw)
(00:00) Why This Episode Matters For You
(01:12) Stop Using Discipline, Use Skills
(02:43) A Quick Ask!
(03:29) What Skills Do I Need?
(06:28) Second-Guessing Your Change
(11:51) Lessons From Eric's Relapse
(16:44) Making A Change Before You Hit 'Rock Bottom'
(20:42) What Should I Do After A Setback?
(23:32) Small Steps vs Major Boundaries
(28:33) Most Common Excuses!
(34:53) Follow The Season of Your Life
(35:41) How Can I Spot Toxic vs Positive People?
(42:24) The 'I Swear It's Easy' Cookbook
(43:06) Healthy Coping Mechanisms
(50:17) How Can I Stop Feeling Ashamed About An Old Version of Myself?
(53:07) What Has Eric Learned From The One You Feed Podcast?
(55:57) Find Eric Here
(56:26) Hacks For More Happiness, Overcome The Scarcity Mindset, and Your Guide To Mindfulness
Inside a recent episode
Famous Screenwriter AND Triathlete: Why Refusing to Pick One Dream Might Be Your Superpower
Published 22 May 2025 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And then I think probably the most important thing for me is mastery of craft. So focusing on the process, not the outcome. Because if you focus on the outcome, it's probably never going to come. And then you're always going to fail. Right. But if you focus on the process and you find beauty and joy and happiness and fulfillment and that, then the outcome doesn't matter. And when it ceases to matter, that's when actually you get success. So it's a very, you know, it's a very ironic thing. But that's something that, you know, I've really dug into a lot. And then the other top tip is find a way to make a difference in the world. […]
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